To not get this violent, awful images out of my head..does this affect anyone else in the same way???

[JimmyChooChoo]

I saw a beautiful dog being skinned alive for it's fur in Chinait was highlighted from Peta but now you only have to go on social networking sites such as Facebook to see this awful stuff.
I didn't know until recently(well maybe the past year)that this really happens.I wanted to believe they stun the animals or somehow kill them in the most humane way possible(if there even is a 'humane' way to kill something) first BEFORE they skin them.
I have thought about this NON STOP for the past couple of weeks.I cannot get the thought of this out of my head.
Is anyone else aware of how dogs and cats are killed for their fur?I ask because I told my DM(vegetarian,loves animals etc)and she said 'don't be silly nobody would skin a dog or a cat alive' but thats the cheapest option to do it as they don't want to ruin the fur so they start at the leg and well you can work out the gruesome end
Does anyone else lose sleep over this?I don't know how to forget about it and put it out of my mind..I've been having awful nightmares ever since and I wake up early hours and I cannot sleep

Typing in a rush..sorry for crap grammar..*these images I mean

I don't lose any sleep over anything I see on FB and delete people pretty sharpish who post this sort of thing.

Valium-but knowing that this stuff actually happens..thats my point.How its highlighted/exposed etc isn't my concern..just shocked by the act of violence that happens and that its allowed to continue

I am exactly the same JimmyChooChoo. Even reading your post makes me picture stuff. I have to switch off my brain to stop it coming in. It's horrible, actually, because I feel permanently a little bit cut off from the world because I feel I have to shut my brain down to stop myself thinking horrible thoughts.

It's called "intrusive thoughts". Maybe looking it up on the internet will bring up some helpful advice? If you're losing sleep, maybe seeing your doctor is a good idea.

I really feel for you cos it's a horrible way to be. I've always had this since I was a child.

Do you remember that Michael Palin Round-the-World programme several years ago when he was in a Far Eastern restaurant (can't remember which country though) and a snake was skinned alive (for its meat) beside his table? I still see that sometimes. It still wriggled as the skin nwas drawn further along it. I couldn't watch it until its end.

I have anxiety, and I often have intrusive thoughts. There is treatment for it - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and such like. One technique I use with great success before sleeping - which is when my intrusive throughs are worst - is by counting very slowly and deliberately. All the best.

I haven't seen any of the footage you are talking about, and I would probably avoid it nowadays.

When I watched Sharkwater I couldn't get that out of my head for days, it really haunted me. Beautiful sharks being hauled out of the water, then having their fins cut off, the chucked back in to the sea while still alive so that they could just sink to the bottom and bleed to death. And all for nothing more than thicker soup.

There are some vile people in this world.

Thinking about this sort of thing makes me feel physically sick as I empathise readily - you do have to try and let go though for your own good

YANBU and I do think there should be warnings before this sort of thing is shown. I find that visual images cannot be erased, animal and child cruelty particularly stick but other scary and unpleasant things too. I don't watch horror films for this reason.

Yellow-thankyou for that.I've looked just now into 'intrusive thoughts' and I know that is me..it's like I have a video recorder in my mind and I replay the awful stuff on repeat so much so that it puts a strain on everyday life.
I'm sorry you go through these emotions and feelings..I've never met or spoke to anyone who feels the same way so your post means an awful lot

Rulebrittania-I do remember that programme and how shocking it was
Certain images seem to stay with certain for life whereas my DH(for example)loves animals but he can forget in an instant what hes seen/heard about any acts of cruelty.

Im like this too.I was ill over little James Bulger i thibnk its cos i had a boy the same age bu i couldnt get the images from my mind.I have not let this happen so badly since,i avoid things i know will affect me,not in a selfish head in the sand way just for self preservation.

That's horrible. I won't look at anything like that. It's too disturbing and most of the time there is nohting you can do about it, so you are really only upsetting yourself.

YANBU, I hate seeing things like that! My excuse for avoiding them (especially on really bad brain days) is that I'm already vegan so don't need to know any more gory details about animal cruelty. On the human front, I give money to charity when I can (especially Barnardo's - my family generally likes them because my gran dealt with some of their foster kids when she was a teacher) so don't necessarily need to look too closely at the appeals...

Agree with QuacksForDoughnuts. Use it as a spur to take whatever positive action you can which could make a difference, such as a charity donation.

FFS you can't get the image out of your head, but you're sharing it?

I really hope you've done something real and practical or are you just an attention seeking handwringer?

RuleBritannia, my memory of the Palin thing is that the snake was actually dead its head had been cut off but still wriggling (I have read articles about how in reptiles the residual electric potential can cause muscle contractions for hours after death). It's still disturbing (I know because I have flashbacks of the same sequence you describe) but not quite so disturbing-as-a-point-of-principle as if it had actually been alive. I could have got the wrong end of the stick at the time, though.

Thankyou for the kind messages it means so much.In RL I think people would think I'm crazy(maybe I am!)and I'm going to look into Cognitive Behavioural Therapy too..those images have disturbed and depressed me more than anything.

The constant replaying of distressing images or hearing upsetting thoughts or memories is quite common in people who suffer from anxiey and depression. There is treatment and there is a way through it.

lambethlil I really hope that you never develop anxiety or depression issues or the words 'attention seeking handwringer' will soon come back to haunt you A little humanity goes a long way you know.

@hiddenhome Ha! you couldn't be more wrong. I have been absolutely paralyzed by anxiety, with devestating consequences, and perhaps I could have got help sooner if I had shared my fears and obsessions.

Still think its utterly crass to describe in detail the situation which has upset her.

I have had CBT too for it. There is an image of two small boys being hanged in Iran that was in the paper about three years ago. It comes into my head less frequently now and I can push it away.
They are the same thoughts that make you want to shout poo face in a really important meeting.

jimmychoochoo just wanted to add my sympathy and say I'm so sorry you saw that, and that it happens. It makes me feel physically ill just thinking about it

FFS could you have given more of a clue in the title!

@hiddenhome Ha! you couldn't be more wrong. I have been absolutely paralyzed by anxiety, with devastating consequences, and perhaps I could have got help sooner if I had shared my fears and obsessions. But not by randomly passing those images onto others!

It's utterly crass to describe in detail the situation which has upset her.

I strongly suggest you repost this without the details.

There is help available CBT works.

Lambethlil-I didn't describe in detail thankyou very much.Why open a thread that has 'violent awful images' as its title..if I saw a title like that I would expect to actually SEE awful images but I wouldn't want anyone to have to see that.Although thanks for the input

Everyone else thankyou for the messages.Means an awful lot.I have had depression and think I still have it(maybe never stopped having it).Will look into CBT and other things you've mentioned.

Yes things like this really upset me but my sympathy is with the animals. Use this upset to do something, find charities who work to stop this etc. How can this be allowed to happen? So awful. So many vile 'people' in the world.